The SETT Framework was first introduced at the Closing the
Gap Conference on the Use of Assistive Technology in Special
Education and Rehabilitation in October of 1995, in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The SETT Framework was one part of a
three part presentation. This paper was included the in the
handouts for that presentation.
The SETT Framework:
Critical Areas to Consider When Making
Informed Assistive Technology Decisions
by
Joy Zabala
As the language of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA, P.L. 101-476) regarding assistive technology becomes widely
known, much attention is being focused on school districts and the
procedures and practices which school personnel use in arriving at
decisions regarding the provision of assistive technology devices and
services. Which students need assistive technology? What kind of
technology is needed? Who is involved in making these decisions?
What sort of data should be gathered to aid in the decision-making
process? Much discussion has been generated about each of these
questions. Though there are few quick and easy answers to any of
there questions, the first three are generally addressed in some way
by a combination of federal law and best practices in fields related to
assistive technology. The answer to the fourth question is evolving and
is the subject of this discussion.
Which students need assistive technology?...those who need assistive
technology in order to receive a free, appropriate public education.
(The first "Big Question" in Assistive Technology today, however, is
"what constitutes need?". The definition of assitive technology is allinclusive and its limitations have yet to be determined in the courts.)
What kind of technology is needed?.. this must be determined on a
case by case basis related directly to what is needed for a student to
receive FAPE. (This is the second of the "Big Questions" in Assistive
Technology and is equally undefined by legal action.)
Who is involved in making these decisions?... the student's IEP team,
with recommendations from members of a flexible multidisciplinary
team which includes the student, family members and/or caregivers,
and appropriate educational and related services professionals. This
team may also include other people who are significantly involved in
the students education and well-being such as medical staff and peers.
What sort of data should the multidisciplinary team gather to aid in the
decision-making process?... information about the Student, the
Environment, the Tasks, and the Tools.
For some time people dedicated to meeting the educational and life
goals of students with disabilities have been working to identify and
provide assistive technology devices with features which match the
student's needs and abilities. Good practitioners have gathered
extensive data about the student and about assistive technology tools
having features which address the student's needs and abilities in the
areas of input, process, and output. When this data was gathered and
decisions made, devices were acquired, and people were trained on
operational techniques, and, with promising frequency, strategies for
effective use of the device. Every expectation has been that this would
lead to positive changes for students; however, what is frequently
seen in the field is assitive technology devices which are underutilized
or abandoned, and, therefore, not fostering the growth in
communication, participation, and productivity that has been hoped
for. Why is this happening?
Though the needs and abilities of the student and the features of
devices appear to be well-matched, tools are frequently selected with
insufficient up-front attention to the environment(s) in which the
student is expected to use the assistive technology tools, and to the
tasks in which the student is expected to participate within the
identified environment(s). It is difficult to choose appropriate tools if
there is not a clear awareness of where and how they are to be used!
Clearly, it would be unwise for anyone to choose a tool at a hardware
store without first considering the task which was to be accomplished
with that tool. Without prior planning and reflection, a wonderful saw
might be selected and taken home with great pleasure, only to have
its owner become quickly disillusioned to find that the saw is of little
value when hanging pictures and assembling shelves... two tasks of
great importance the purchaser. The most wonderful saw, even one
customized to its user's specific body-type, strength, and sawing
aptitude is not likely to help with those tasks. Prior attention to what
tasks were to be accomplished with the tool would have aided greatly
in appropriate tool selection!
When considering assistive technology, the environment and the tasks
must be considered before tools are selected. To support this belief,
the SETT Framework has been developed to aid in gathering and
organizing data which can be used to make appropriate assistive
technology decisions. The SETT Framework considers, first, the
Student, the Environment(s) and the Tasks required for active
participation in the activities of the environment, and, finally, the Tools
needed for the student to address the tasks.
It is important to realize that this outline of questions to consider in
each area of the SETT Framework has been developed only as a
guideline and a place to start. Teams gathering and acting upon this
data may wish to seek answers to numerous additional questions. In
virtually every case, the questions will relate to one of the areas of the
SETT Framework.
The Student
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What does the Student need to do?
What are the Student's special needs?
What are the Student's current abilities?
The Environment
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What materials and equipment are currently available in the
environment?
What is the physical arrangement?
Are there special concerns?
What is the instructional arrangement?
Are there likely to be changes?
What supports are available to the student?
What resources are available to the people supporting the
student?
The Tasks
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What activities take place in the environment?
What activities support the student's curriculum?
What are the critical elements of the activities?
How might the activities be modified to accommodate the
student's special needs?
How might technology support the student's active participation
in those activities?
The Tools
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What no tech, low tech, and high tech options should be
considered when developing a system for a student with these
needs and abilities doing these tasks in these environments?
What strategies might be used to invite increased student
performance?
How might these tools be tried out with the student in the
customary environments in which they will be used?
How might one gather the information needed to use the SETT
Framework as an aid for effective decision-making? The most
commonly used method is the hands-on evaluation in which one or
more of the professionals involved in the process take the student
through a series of planned exercises or tasks in order to evaluate the
student's ability to perform them. This method also may include trying
out tools to see which ones the student is able to access physically and
cognitively. Though this is a valuable part of the assessment process
when used in the student's natural environments, it is important to
remember that to view assessment as an event which happens once
and is then finished is now generally held to be in error.
Current best practices indicate that assessment and intervention are
continuous on-going processes and that the initial hands-on evaluation
is merely among the first steps. When completing a SETT Framework,
several other methods of gathering data are critical. They include:
observations of the student involved in the ordinary tasks presented
by the natural settings in which the student operates; discussions with
the significant people who share those settings with the student; and,
possibly, a review of other strategies and tools that have been tried
with the student.
There are several useful assessment tools available which ask very
specific questions about the student's needs and abilities. There are
also some environmental inventories available. It would be wise to
make use of one or more of them as a guide to seeking and recording
the information, always keeping in mind that information gained in
observations and discussions is equally valuable.
As the data mounts in the on-going assessment process care must be
taken that the sheer volume and specificity of the data not obscure the
major issues which need to be considered. Organizing the various bits
of data under the major SETT headings provides a workable way to
see which areas are thoroughly explored and which areas require more
work.
The SETT Framework supports a thorough yet simple approach to
assistive technology assessment and intervention. When data is
gathered and organized with simplicity, a team's ability to effectively
generate a range of tools which may be tried with the student is
greatly enhanced. It is much more likely that the selected system of
tools will enhance the student's abilities to address the tasks in which
he/she is expected to build competency, thus making the tool more
valuable. Equally, it is more likely that the people supporting the
student will see the relevancy of the technology as the student grows
in competence, confidence, and independence, and thus, be more
active in encouraging and supporting the student's achievement
through its use.
Using the SETT Framework as a guide, it is possible, from the start, to
address and overcome many of the obstacles which lead to device
abandonment. When the Environment and the Tasks are fully explored
and considered, the lament "Well, the device is here, now what do I do
with it?" should never be heard. Instead, students, parents, and
professionals should all rejoice at the increased opportunities for
success which come with assistive technology which is well matched to
the student's needs and abilities to perform the natural tasks which
are part of living and learning in this world.